Making Friends and Enemies

The mist slowly rolled away as Yan drew the bone dagger out of the dead beast's neck. The grime of Heishan washed away and the manly clothes had long abandoned revealed a surprisingly elegant figure. The beginnings of shapely curves could be seen from the way the gray robe hugged her body. Given a few years, she could easily develop into quite the femme fatale. This sensual appearance was in an odd compliment to her well toned body. Though Yan was shapely in all the places deemed most important, the strong presence and well defined, elegant muscle could not be denied. Her hair was left unkempt and messy, but was no longer matted with dirt. Her once mud-caked face was now visible. Yan's fierce gaze still emanated a wild nature, but her strong cheekbones and lightly tanned skin radiated a healthy glow that softened her intensity.

Not bothering to acknowledge Hong Wu, Yan began to dress the recent kill. Recovering from a shock, Hong Wu tried to initiate conversation.

"Thank you for saving me, I would be dead if it weren't for you."

Yan continued gutting the boar.

"Everyone was wondering where you were. Have you been out here all this time?"

Yan ripped a mass of guts out and tossed them to the side.

Hong Wu was beginning to get frustrated. "Are you going to just pretend I'm not here?"

Yan stopped what she was doing and aggressively approached Hong Wu. Hong Wu instinctively put up her arms in an effort to protect herself. Yan halted just short of Hong Wu and tossed her a jar of medicinal balm. "Put it on, I need help carrying this back to the camp. The other animals will catch the scent of blood soon and then we will be outnumbered."

Struck senseless by Yan's direct way of speaking, Hong Wu dumbly applied the medicine without argument. While Hong Wu was doing this, Yan tied the boar's legs up to a sturdy branch nearby.

"Can ya stand?"

"I think so."

"Good, grab the other end and let's go."

Hong Wu's time in the forest had allowed her to familiarize herself with the area to a degree, but she clearly did not have the same level of attunement with the woods that Yan had. Weaving through the trees, Yan quickly and deftly made her way deeper into the forest leaving Hong Wu stumbling to keep up.

After about a half hour of walking, the pair arrived at a makeshift shelter built of fallen branches and tree bark with a bed of leaves for flooring. Next to the hut was a fire pit, a few containers for collecting water, and some miscellaneous tools made of wood and bone. Setting down the boar, Yan went to one of the water jars and gulped down large mouthfuls. After finishing she passed the jar to Hong Wu. "Drink?"

Hong Wu took the jar from Yan and greedily chugged the remaining contents. "Thank you."

"Don mention it."

"No seriously thank you, for everything. You are amazing. How were you able to kill that boar?"

"Just can."

Hong Wu was dissatisfied, 'This conversation is getting me nowhere.'

Awkward silence between the two continued, until it was unexpectedly broken by Yan. "Why are you out here?"

Embittered by recent events, Hong Wu told Yan everything. From her struggles in cultivation, to her conflict with Old Sun. Hong Wu vented for what seemed like hours. When she was finally finished Yan had a hard look of contemplation. "It has been hard for you," Yan sympathized.

"Why are you here?"

"I don wanna to live with those false women. Lan Cixi touts camaraderie and friendship, but she has a heart black as coal, and that snake in the grass Hao Ru is her favorite weapon. I'm not gonna to get suckered into working to help accomplish their goals."

"What are you saying? That can't be true. Lady Lan has always been forthcoming and kind to all of the girls and shared all of her tips on cultivation."

"Has she really?" Yan scoffed.

Hong Wu wanted to contest this, but suddenly she thought back to when she visited Lan Cixi at her house. 'She was using the rock in her courtyard. Did she tell anyone else about its uses?'

Hong Wu shook her head, expelling the doubts from her mind. "No, Lady Lan has not given me any reason for her to doubt me so far. I refuse to believe she is as you say she is."

"Whatever, it's your life, do with it as ya please, but be careful who ya trust it with."

Hong Wu didn't take these words to heart. She realized that Yan was trying to help, but this girl was too defensive. For whatever reason, Yan did not accept others easily. Hong Wu didn't think ill of Yan for this, but rather endeared her. The fact that Yan was willing to share her thoughts like this showed that she trust Hong Wu, if only a little.

"Ya said ya needed a grass, what was it again?"

"Yes, the Lush Meadow Grass, it looks like this."

Hong Wu drew a quick sketch in the dirt of the herb that she needed. "Come with me. I know a place with a bunch of it."

"Really? You're going to just give it to me? Just like that?"

"Ya don't want it?"

"I do … it's just … why don't you take it for yourself?"

"I got no need of it and ya do. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, just come with me."

Grateful, Hong Wu followed Yan to a clearing not far from the shelter covered with Lush Meadow Grass. "There must be over 500 stalks here! This is fantastic. Thank you Yan."

Hong Wu quickly went to work harvesting the plants. Looking to her right she saw Yan doing the same. Tears started to well up at the corner of Hong Wu's eyes. 'Yan appears rough on the outside, but she has shown me more kindness today than most have my entire life. No one has ever been this nice to me.'

The two girls made short work of collecting most of the grass, leaving a few stalks to allow the sprouts to grow and multiply again. After collecting the grass the two returned to camp. Yan roasted up the boar and the two spent the night feasting like kings. Hong Wu had never had such a rich meal in all her life.

As Hong Wu made to leave, Yan passed her one of her makeshift bone weapons. "Don't go wanderin around the forest all defenseless again. I won't always be there to save ya."

"I won't. Thanks again."

Hong Wu paused before adding, "Do you think … maybe I could come back and visit you sometime?"

Yan looked away, "Nothing stopping ya."

A small smile touched Hong Wu's lips, before setting off back to the Drifting Clouds Quarters. Almost as soon as she exited the forest she ran into another rare encounter, Hao Ru. "Coming back from an excursion in the woods Sister Hong?"

This was the first time that Hong Wu ever heard Hao Ru speak. Taken aback, Hong Wu quickly recovered to respond, "Yes Sister Ru, I have been foraging for spirit grasses to earn a few merit points."

Hao Ru smiled and nodded knowingly. "Sister Hong is very diligent in her efforts. Continue your hard work so that we may all pass through this upcoming trial by fire unscathed."

With that, Hao Ru continued past Hong Wu in a different direction. Hong Wu thought back to what Yan said about Hao Ru and Lan Cixi. 'That was a bit weird. Forget it, I am letting Yan's paranoia get the best of me.'

Arriving at home Hong Wu sat down on the black rock to meditate for a few hours. Using her divine sense, Hong Wu examined her current progress. Her first strand of spiritual qi was already a pure white. In addition, a second strand of weak gray gas was beginning to form in her dantian. Satisfied with her progress Hong Wu decided to get some rest. Tomorrow she would go back to the Cloud District Exchange and buy the spirit wine to clear her name.

***

Hong Wu was very pleased with herself. With the harvest from yesterday, Hong Wu had enough merit points to buy the spirit wine and then some. After purchasing the wine, Hong Wu headed to the Black Rock Pavilion to make amends with Old Sun.

Reaching the pavilion she approached the old man with as much diffidence as she could muster.

"Back for another beating miss half-a-face, or have you just come to cower and piss yourself again?"

Bearing down, Hong Wu politely responded, "This disciple was in the wrong, please forgive me. I offer this wine as an apology."

Hong Wu presented the wine and stiffly awaited the man's response. "Oooh. My favorite!"

The man snatched the wine from Hong Wu and gluttonously downed a large swig. His eyes glazed over and his face filled with content. "Aaah, it is true that the greatest pleasures in life are good wine and good women."

Glancing over to Hong Wu his complexion regained its disgust. "What are you still doing here? Shove off."

Hong Wu was astounded, "Senior Sun, I was hoping to take more jobs."

"And you think some wine is enough for me to forgive you? Naive."

"But-"

"I said leave. Unless ... you would like to offer your sincerity in another way?"

Old Sun gave Hong Wu a lecherous look, implying what he meant quite clearly. Feeling cheated, and refusing to accept any more abuse, Hong Wu stormed off clearly looking upset.

Old Sun mocked her as she left, calling out "Haha, young lady, why keep such a treasure locked away? It isn't like anyone else is buying."

Swindled by the old man, Hong Wu charged right back to the Cloud District Exchange to confront Hu Huan. Catching him in her periphery, Hong Wu barreled towards him. Seeing Hong Wu's mad approach, Hu Huan put on his trademark merchant smile. That smile was starting to irk Hong Wu every time she saw it. "Sister Hong! How did bequeathing the spirit wine to Old Sun work?"

"How do you think?" Hong Wu replied curtly.

"I am truly surprised that did not work. I do apologize for leading you astray."

Hong Wu stared icily at Hu Huan, not saying a work. Hu Huan gave a nervous laugh, "Hehe, you know Sister Hong, I truly am sorry. Allow me to make it up to you."

Reaching into his robe, Hu Huan pulled out a gray stone about the size of a fist and handed it to Hong Wu. "A rock? You are apologizing by giving me a rock?"

"This is no ordinary rock, it is called a spirit stone. Inside it is a small amount of pure spiritual qi. Spirit stones are indispensable for cultivators. It is made of the same material as the big rock inside your courtyard. Hold it while meditating and it can help you cultivate, or replenish your spiritual qi quickly in a time of crisis. Outside of the sect, spirit stones are the only form of currency we cultivators use. Gold and silver are meaningless to cultivators."

Hong Wu eyed the stone skeptically. Taking a hold of the stone, Hong Wu immediately felt faint fluctuations of spiritual qi emanating from the stone. "I'll at least accept that you did not mean to make me suffer a loss. I will accept your sincerity for now Brother Hu," Hong Wu uttered with a sigh.

"Sister Hong is forgiving, this one does not deserve it."

Hu Huan's honeyed words assuaged Hong Wu's irritation. "Come to think of it, I may also be able to help Sister Hong with your lack of resources."

This information interested Hong Wu. "How?" Hong Wu asked warily, not wanting to be burned twice.

"It is nothing too strenuous. In fact, for you it should be quite easy. I merely want information about the residents of the Drifting Clouds Quarters."

Hong Wu's eyes narrowed at this. "Don't worry Sister Hong, I won't pry into anything too specific, I just want to know the names, descriptions, cultivation levels and the like."

"I thought you were good at getting information? Why do you need me?"

"How do you think I get it? I have people willing to trade with me. You may not have noticed, but after your group moved in the Drifting Clouds District became a restricted area. Your sect token has a special spell placed on it that allows you to freely come and go, but other disciples are unable to approach. That, and most of Gu Fei's Flowers stay in their garden. You are one of the few to ever leave the Drifting Clouds District for reasons outside of collecting monthly resources from the Ascending Clouds Pavilion. Like you said, I deal in the business of information, and people want to know about you girls."

Hong Wu hesitated. On the one hand, this felt like a betrayal of her sisters in the Drifting Clouds District. On the other, the information Hu Huan was asking for really was fairly benign; plus, Hong Wu needed more resources if she was ever going to keep up with Lan Cixi "It doesn't have to be much, just give me an update every time we trade resources and I will throw in an extra stick of incense. What do you say do we have a deal?"

Hong Wu deliberated before bartering, "Two incense sticks for two pills, plus 50 merit points each month."

Hu Huan showed a hint of surprise before hiding it behind a smile "Two for two, and 20 merit points."

"Done."

"Wonderful, allow me to give you your payment for this month now."

Hong Wu exchanged what information she had with Hu Huan with the promised goods. After completing the transaction, Hong Wu went back home to continue her cultivation.